CONNECTICUT, USA — What viewers around the nation have coined the "Caitlin Clark Effect" continues to be on full display for the start of the WNBA playoffs.
The Indiana Fever made their first postseason appearance since 2016 Sunday against the Connecticut Sun, with the matchup being ESPN's most viewed WNBA postseason game ever.
The game was the most viewed non-finals playoff game in 25 years across all platforms, ESPN said. According to the network, Sunday's game peaked at 2.2 million viewers with an average of 1.8 million.
The total was up 332% compared to ABC's broadcast of the average first round game in 2023.
Alongside the big game, other WNBA broadcasts during the first round of playoff games this past weekend averaged 792,000 viewers which is up 89% from last year's broadcasts across ESPN and ABC, according to the sports channel.
After the tough 93-69 loss to the Sun, the Fever prepare for Game 2 Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. which will also be in Connecticut in a win-or-go-home matchup for Indiana. If they force a third game in the best-of-three series, the final game will be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
A potential Game 3 would take place Friday night.